and especially to the Bulgarian First Army. A notable example was the Third Army's 3rd Infantry Division which took part in the Battle of the Transdanubian Hills as part of Operation Frühlingserwachen. Commanders Major General Georgi Popov (1940–1941) Lieutenant General Nikola Stoychev (1941-1943) Lieutenant General Nikola Hristov (1943–1944) Major General Asen Krstev (1944) Lieutenant General Raycho Slavkov (1944–1945) Lieutenant General Nikola Genchev (1945) Post-World War II years In 1951 the headquarters of the army was moved from Varna to Sliven, reflecting the shift of strategic focus of the Bulgarian Army as part of the Eastern Bloc. By the end of the fifties the cavalry units were abolished and the army was entirely mechanized, the infantry divisions were transformed into rifle and motor rifle divisions. Gradually new weapon systems like multiple rocket launchers, parachute detachments and air support units were integrated in the army. In 1980 the army included the 7th Motor Rifle Division (:bg:Седма мотострелкова дивизия), Yambol; the 16th Motor Rifle Division with its headquarters at Burgas; the 18th Motor Rifle Division at Shumen; the 13th Tank Brigade at Sliven; the 24th Tank Brigade (Aytos); the 66th Army Missile Brigade (Kabile); the 45th Army Artillery Regiment (Targovishte); and the 55th Army Anti-Tank Regiment (Karnobat), engineer, communications regiment, a parachute battalion, plus other smaller units. After 1989 the Bulgarian Land Forces entered a new stage of its development characterized with a rapid reduction of the armed forces. In accordance with a new program for the transition to a corps and brigade structure of the army the Third Army was transformed into the 3rd Army Corps; the 16th Motor Rifle Division was reduced to a brigade After 2004 many of the army's formations were closed. In 2003 the corps was again transformed into the "Eastern" command with greatly reduced forces and capabilities. By the end of 2006, this, too, was abolished and the units under its command were placed directly under the control of the Land Forces Headquarters. This marked the end of the Bulgarian Third Army after almost a century of existence. References Sources Щаб на войската. "Българската армия в Световната война, vol. VIII"; Държавна печатница,София 1939 Glenn E. Torrey, "The Battle of Turtucaia (Tutrakan) (2–6 September 1916): Romania's Grief, Bulgaria's Glory".East European Quarterly, Vol. 37, 2003 Third Army (3rd Corps, "Eastern" Command) Military units and formations of the Balkan Wars Military history of Bulgaria during World War II Military units